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H. WINTER;

METHOD OF TOWING vEssELs,

No; 336,830. Patented-Feb. 23, 1886.

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H WINTER METHOD OF TOWING VE$SELS.

Patented Feb. 23, 1886.

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NlTE STATES HERMAN WVINTER, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK.

METHOD OF TOWING VESSELS.

SPECIFZtGi-LTIQN forming part of Letters Patent No. 336,830. dated February 23, 1886.

Application filed July 16, 1885.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, HERMAN'WINTER, of Brooklyn, in the county of Kings and State of New York, have invented a new and useful Method of Towing Vessels, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification.

My invention relates to the towing of all kinds of vessels, but more particularly oceangoing steamers; and the object of my invention is to simplify and facilitate the operation of handling the tow-lines or hawsers, and to properly manage the varying strains upon the hawsers during the operation of towing.

To the above purposes my invention consists in stowing the hawser inboard upon a Windlass-drum, and holding the free end of the hawser in the hawse-hole bya freely moving or swiveled clamp,as hereinafter described and claimed.

In order that my invention may be fully understood, I will proceed to describe it with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a plan view of my improved towing apparatus in operative position. Fig. 2 is a View, partly in side elevation and partly in section, of one of my improved clamps in operative position. Fig. 3 is an inner end view of the same. Fig. 4 is a side elevation of a modified form of the clamp. Fig. 5 is an inner end view of the same. Fig. 6 is a View, similar to Fig. 4, of a still further modification of the clamp. Fig. 7 is an inner end view of the same. Fig. 8 illustrates in side and edge views an improved eye for the tow-line. Fig. 9 is a view of my improved apparatus located between decks. Fig. 10 is a front elevation of a modified arrangement. Fig. 11 is a sectional View of the same.

In towing large vesselssuch as ocean-going steamcrs-very heavy tow-lines or hawsers have to be used, such hawsers being generally of wire rope. Owing to the size and weight of these lines, it has been found very diflicult to stow them and to manipulate them with any degree of rapidity and promptness. It is almost impossible to bight these lines around a cleat, and also to coil them. At all times the handling of these lines is very labo- Serial No. 171,737. (No model.)

rious and requires the employment of a large number of men; but when such lines become wet or frozen their manipulation becomes almost impossible. Moreover, it is very difficult to properly secure the end of such hawser inboard during the operation of towing, because the whole strain comes directly upon the bight, which, as before stated, cannot be made very strong, owing to the size and stiffness of the hawsers. My invention contemplates all of these difficulties, and renders it possible to quickly stow and pay out these lines, and to keep them in readiness for instant use. By virtue of my invention, also, the towing strain is not borne by a bight at the end of the line, but by an attachment located in thehawse-hole, and affording perfect freedom of play to the hawser under the varying strains of towing.

In the said drawings, A designates the hull of the vessel, and B designates the hawse-hole. It is evident that these parts may be in the bow or stern, or any other available part of the vessel.

0 designates a clamp,which is a longitudh nally-divided tube formed with a central spherical enlargement, which, when working in the hawse-hole, constitutes aball and socket, so that the clamp, the outer portion of which extends through the hawse-hole, may be free to turn in all directions.

D designates a Windlass or winch, which is placed as nearly as possible in line with the hawsehole, and which is provided with suitable gears, by which its drum is rotated, either by hand-power applied to one or more cranks,

d, or by steam power applied in the manner usual with steam-windlasses. The Windlass is also provided, preferably, with'a band-brake, d, operated by a lever, d. p

E designates the line or hawser, of fiber or wire, which is coiled upon the drum of the Windlass, and extends through the clamp O, and thus out of the hawse-hole.

The above devices constitute the essential elements of my invention, and it will be seen that by their combined use the heaviest and stiffest hawsers maybe quickly and easily manipulated, and stowed in readiness for immediate use. The towing strains do not come upon the windlass, but upon the clamp in the hawse-hole, and consequently there is no necessity of forming a bight in the line. Very little handling of the line is required, so that one man can Inanageit easily, and at the same time the line is free to adjust itself to variations in strain incident to differences in height between the towing-boat and that being towed.

In Figs. 1, 2, and 3 the clamp O is shown as provided with a series of bolts, F, extending through the inner portion of the clamp, and tightened by a corresponding series of nuts.

In Figs. 4 and 5 the clamp is provided with an eccentric, G, secured pivotally to a U strap, 9, and carrying a lever, g, by moving which the two parts of the clamp are drawn together.

In Figs. 6 and 7 the inner ends of the clampsections are externally screw-threaded, as at h, and a nut, H, works upon the screw.

I have also shown an attachment forsplicing the line. A U-shaped eye, I, is provided with a sheave, J, which is mounted so as to rotate between the extremities of the eye upon an axle secured by boltsj The line E is passed over the sheave and made fast, and a hawser, K, of fiber, is passed through the eye,and also made fast, so as to afford the necessary spring for the-line E.

In Fig. 9 the clamp and Windlass are shown as arranged between decks, while in Figs. 10 and 11 the hawse-hole B is swiveled upon a standard, L, having a base, Z, by which the standard is bolted to the deck. A stem, B, extends down into the standard, and its lower end is secured bya nut, b. This arrangement is particularly designed for tow-boats, and may also be employed upon wharves or piers for mooring vessels, so as to relieve the hawsers from the strains produced by wind and current.

I do not herein claim the details of construc- 0 The improved method of towing vessels 5 herein described, the same consisting in stowing the hawser inboard upon-a drum, and holding-its free end in a clamp constructed to work freely in the hawse-hole, as described.

HERMAN WINTER.

Witnesses:

EUGENE SELIGMAN, RICHARD V. W. DU BoIs. 

